


burn my knees and pray

by maryjanewatson



Category: Daredevil (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-12
Updated: 2015-10-12
Packaged: 2018-04-26 02:49:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4987189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maryjanewatson/pseuds/maryjanewatson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>karen hates herself for what she's done. matt doesn't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	burn my knees and pray

**Author's Note:**

> five-minute fic for a tumblr challenge.

when karen wakes up, it’s not in her old, creaky bed. this one is cloud-soft, the crisp silk sheets brushing against her skin pleasantly.

she knows where she is before her eyes have fully come to focus yet, and guilty ridden knots spring up deep in her belly.

/maybe if i just stay in bed, i can avoid dealing with it/, she thinks to herself, and further buries her head in the pillows, the familiar aftershave scent sending all kinds of different knots to her stomach.

“how you feeling?” matt’s voice comes from the bedroom doorway, interrupting karen’s attempts at ignoring the situation.

she grunts in response, and he chuckles, sitting down on the edge of the mattress, setting a cup of coffee down on his bedside table for her.

“why am i in your bed?” karen asks as she sits down and sips her drink just to have something to focus on.

matt, still in the clothes he wore yesterday, but without his glasses or tie, smiles humourlessly.

“well, after we talked last night, you sort of passed out on the couch, so i brought you here. i hope it’s okay.”

karen hums, and the room grows silent enough to be uncomfortable, and it isn’t until the coffee is cold in her hands that she speaks up.

“i should probably get out of here,” she mutters, already getting up, and matt doesn’t try to stop her.

she’s also still in her street clothes, but her shoes have disappeared somewhere around the apartment, and in her hurry to leave, she doesn’t notice matt picking them up from where he placed them under the bed last night, and handing them over to her.

“shouldn’t we talk about it?” he tries, eyebrows knitted together as karen puts on her high heels.

“look, i don’t need to listen to what you’re gonna say, okay?” she sighs in resignation. “i’ve been through enough shit without needing to add your insults about me.”

she grabs her purse from the bench in the hallway and walks on over to the door without looking back.

“i’ll-uhm. i’ll leave the keys to the office on my desk.” karen says, opening the front door, but she hesitates for a second, and that’s all matt needs.

he makes his way to her, and gently takes her hand off the doorknob, closing the door. he holds on to her hand a little longer than necessary before speaking.

“karen, he kidnapped you, and tried to kill you.” matt tries to make his voice sound gentle, as if that could erase their weight, but karen winces nonetheless.

“why would i think badly of you for defending yourself?”

“i /killed/ him, matt.” she replies harshly, as if disbelieving matt’s softness. “i killed him because i wanted to, and he wasn’t the first person i shot. your nighttime job, or whatever, is to protect the city from people like me!”

karen drops her purse to the ground and leans heavily on the wall, trying to keep a panic attack at bay.

matt gives her space, but doesn’t leave her side.

“foggy was right,” she whimpers, and matt might not have heard her if it weren’t for his senses. “how can i still call myself a human being after this? how can i look at him– at you, ever again?”

“we’ll talk to him, he’ll understand.” matt reassures her, but karen doesn’t seem to listen.

slowly approaching her, looking for signs that she wants him not to, matt extends his hand to her like he once did, his palm up in earnest.

“remember what i told you after we put fisk away? about wanting us to move forward together? i still want that, karen. i want whatever comes with you.”

she finally looks up at him, and takes his hand like she did in front of their office all those months ago, chest feeling slightly looser, allowing herself to hope despite everything.


End file.
